[Critias]

Been looking for ages for exactly this, Critias. Thanks and +1!

No need to thank me, man.  Tir Tairngire, adepts, the Ancients, elves in general, and Urban Brawl are the things that keep me in love with the game.  Any chance I get to yak about one of the above, I'm happy to do so. 

[ShinigamiWolf]

I am most certainly not gonna lie, reading the description of the game. I had something far different pictured in mind, I was going with paintball meets turf war meets commercialized objective based game...not football with guns. As does everyone in my group including my GM. I don't really see how they don't allow sniper rifles with the inclusion of mages, I mean a mage with vision magnification contacts would technically be OP in such a game, launching fireballs further with no penalties then any other person really could...huh, feels like it needs a hard rules update to me. But thanks for the info, I think with the source that you quoted being so 'old' it's probably not gonna get looked at by the GM and we're gonna end up with a different version of the sport playing more like how I described.

[Critias]

I am most certainly not gonna lie, reading the description of the game. I had something far different pictured in mind, I was going with paintball meets turf war meets commercialized objective based game...not football with guns. As does everyone in my group including my GM. I don't really see how they don't allow sniper rifles with the inclusion of mages, I mean a mage with vision magnification contacts would technically be OP in such a game, launching fireballs further with no penalties then any other person really could...huh, feels like it needs a hard rules update to me. But thanks for the info, I think with the source that you quoted being so 'old' it's probably not gonna get looked at by the GM and we're gonna end up with a different version of the sport playing more like how I described.

There is also Arena Brawl, which is played in actual sporting arenas (instead of real ghettoes), with gel rounds and other stun weapons instead of live ammo -- way less casualties, way less ratings, but potentially (since they've never gone into any more detail of it) with sport or sniper rifles allows, and/or any other little rules tweaks you'd like.  Arena Brawl is the ugly stepsister because the Shadowrun media world is so over-the-top that everyone loves the live fatalities and the "real" urban play zone and stuff...but Arena Brawl might be a way for you to wedge in your guy's sniping, and still have a more-or-less Urban Brawler backstory.

[Xzylvador]

I am most certainly not gonna lie, reading the description of the game. I had something far different pictured in mind, I was going with paintball meets turf war meets commercialized objective based game...not football with guns. As does everyone in my group including my GM. I don't really see how they don't allow sniper rifles with the inclusion of mages, I mean a mage with vision magnification contacts would technically be OP in such a game, launching fireballs further with no penalties then any other person really could...huh, feels like it needs a hard rules update to me. But thanks for the info, I think with the source that you quoted being so 'old' it's probably not gonna get looked at by the GM and we're gonna end up with a different version of the sport playing more like how I described.

Our perception of magic and mages doesn't really reflect how rare these things are in the SR world. Even the lowliest and weakest mage will get offered a job with good pay and lots of perks from any company that discovers him first. They got no reason to consider stuff like UB. And the mages that mess up badly and get caught by the law don't get offered a chance to join UB; they get offered to work off their debts to society for a corp (same job but less pay) or get disappeared and experimented on.
Why no snipers? Boooring! People want action and excitement. A guy that's dressed like a buxus and doesn't move an inch during the whole game is not what they're paying to see!
On the odd chance that a mage does get on a UB team, seeing an actual mage in real combat action is something most people will pay for. Everyone knows the stuff from Karl Kombatmage is CGI!

[Critias]

Why no snipers? Boooring! People want action and excitement. A guy that's dressed like a buxus and doesn't move an inch during the whole game is not what they're paying to see!

There is also that.  When you consider video gamer complaints about "campers," and combine it with football-fan's complaints when nothing decides a game but field goals (instead of folks ever going for the touchdown) or when kick-offs result in taking a knee (instead of making a break for it), etc, etc? 

The last thing Urban Brawl wants is leagues made up for sniper/spotter combos, just plinking away from cover at anyone that tries to move the ball.  They like pistols and submachineguns, short-ranged weapons that can lay down a lot of lead, be used on the move (at least moreso than a sniper rifle), and will look awesome on the big screen.  It's a game that forces you to advance the ball or be penalized -- they don't want campers and snipers, they want rushers and assault troops.  The sport encourages melee combat, for pete's sake! 

[ShinigamiWolf]

I don't know, I think watching an exposed sniper trying to scramble to disappear only to make his way to a defendable place to try and zone in on choke points. It does add to the excitement as any moment your runner could catch a well placed bullet offering up a timely fumble. Snipers can be a lot of fun to watch if they aren't already in place.